This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
A Monday without football? Get used to it. Also, enjoy some hockey. There are seven NHL games on the slate, giving you a nice selection for your DFS lineups. To try and make those decisions easier, though, here are some recommendations for daily fantasy purposes.
SLATE PREVIEW
Only one of the worst defenses in the NHL, the Canadiens, is playing Monday. We also have two teams on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. That would be the Kings and the Blues.
GOALIES
Cam Talbot, MIN vs. MON ($8,500): Talbot hasn't played in a while, but he served as a backup in Minnesota's last game so he seems ready to go. Being at home against the Canadiens is a good way for Talbot to ease back in. Montreal has only managed 2.18 goals per game, lowest in the NHL.
Darcy Kuemper, COL vs. CHI ($8,300): Kuemper's play has really steadied out, as he has a 2.31 GAA and .926 save percentage over his last 12 appearances. Also, he's 9-0-1 in that time, as the Avalanche are red hot. The Blackhawks have averaged a mere 2.34 goals and 28.5 shots on net per contest, so I expect Kuemper to stay on his game Monday.
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. LOS ($8,100): Though the Kings are in the top five in shots on net per game, they are in the bottom half of the league in goals per contest. Maybe there's some bad luck in that, but luck can be harder to come by on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. On top of that, Shesterkin has a 2.07 GAA and .936 save percentage.
VALUE PLAYS
Claude Giroux, PHI vs. DAL ($5,400): Since returning to action, Giroux has three goals on 24 shots on net (plus an assist) in six games. All in all, he has 33 points in 38 contests. In both of his starts since returning to action Braden Holtby has allowed four goals, and Jake Oettinger has an .855 save percentage in his last seven games.
Ryan Strome, NYR vs. LOS ($5,100): Strome has five points in his last five games, but the thing that intrigues me the most is that he's averaged 2:55 per contest with the extra man. The Kings are surprisingly in the bottom five on the penalty kill. Now, the Kings are also on the road for the second night of a back-to-back.
LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Wild vs. Canadiens: Ryan Hartman (C - $6,000), Kirill Kaprizov (W - $8,100), Mats Zuccarello (W - $5,700)
This is the clear matchup to target Monday. The Canadiens have a 3.65 GAA and have allowed 35.1 shots on net per contest. They are also in the bottom five on the penalty kill. If Samuel Montembault is able to return, he has a 3.80 GAA and .909 save percentage in his last eight games. On the other hand, if he isn't back, fourth-string goalie Cayden Primeau will be in net.
Hartman has been hot, as he has five goals and five assists in his last 10 games. His ice time has also risen now that he's centering the top line, as he's averaged 21:55 during that stretch. Kaprizov is building off his Calder-winning campaign last year, as he already has 47 points in 36 games. Not only that, but he has a 12.9 shooting percentage after he had a 17.2 shooting percentage as a rookie. The Russian isn't even getting lucky! And yet, Zuccarello is maybe the hottest of the trio. He has an eight-game point streak in which he's notched 14 points.
Stars at Flyers: Tyler Seguin (C -$4,700), Jamie Benn (W - $4,400), Denis Gurianov (W - $3,700)
The Flyers have posted a 3.34 GAA and have allowed a robust 34.3 shots on net per contest. January has been rough on Carter Hart as well, as he has an .890 save percentage in seven appearances this month. Back in the day, Seguin and Benn were one of the NHL's best duos. Things have changed, but this matchup could provide a bit of a blast from the past for them.
Seguin has actually been hot recently, as he has a three-game point streak. Three of those points have come with the extra man as well. Benn has been in a bit of a cold spell, but he has 17 points this season, including six with the extra man. Plus, last year he had 35 points in 52 contests. Gurianov's 7.9 shooting percentage is a sign of some bad puck luck, but he has eight points in his last seven outings.
DEFENSE
Miro Heiskanen, DAL at PHI ($5,500): Heiskanen recently ended a cold stretch of his own with two assists in his last game. Overall, though, he has 24 points in 37 contests, so the Finn has been performing just fine. He's also tallied 88 shots on net. As I mentioned previously, the Flyers have a 3.34 GAA.
Matt Dumba, MIN vs. MON ($4,900): Dumba has shown goal-scoring acumen in his career, as he has four seasons with double-digit goals. This year he has four to go with 14 assists in 36 games. Being able to light the lamp is a good skill to have facing the Canadiens. After all, they have a 3.65 GAA.
Rasmus Andersson, CGY vs. STL ($4,800): Anderson has a point in back-to-back games, giving him 18 points in 36 contests. This is even though he has an 1.6 shooting percentage, which means some pretty bad luck shooting the puck. The Blues are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, which gives Andersson an extra boost in terms of potential fantasy impact. Especially since Jordan Binnington will likely be in net, and he has a .906 save percentage.
